Bottle closure



Oct. 11, 1955 A. L. WEISLER BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 15, 1950 w DWI Alfred L. Weis/er INVENTOR.

BY WWW 8% United States Patent BOTTLE CLOSURE Alfred L. Weisler, Los Altos, Calif.

Application December 13, 1950, Serial No. 200,549

4 Claims. (Cl. 215-63) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in bottle closures, the principal object of the invention is to facilitate convenient and expeditious dispensing of liquid out of a bottle, but at the same time, to automatically close and seal the bottle when liquid is not being dispensed.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a gravity responsive sealing element which automatically closes the mouth of the bottle when the latter is substantially upright, but which is so mounted that it may be swung out of the way when the contents of the bottle are to be dispensed.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efficient and dependable operation, in its pleasing appearance, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as the specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention, in its closed position, applied to the mouth of a bottle;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, similar to that shown in Figure 2, but illustrating the invention in its open position; and

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the invention per se.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several vlews.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a bottle closure which is desig nated generally by the reference character and embodies in its construction a base member 12 which preferably assumes the form of a plate provided at opposite side edges thereof with integral, downturned flanges 14 which, in turn, are provided adjacent one end thereof with a pair of coaxial apertures 16 to accommodate a transversely extending pin 20. Suitable detents 18 are provided on this pin at the inner surfaces of the flanges 14 whereby to prevent the pin from sliding outwardly through the apertures 16, and an arcuate tension spring 22 is provided at the ends thereof with a pair of loops or eyes 24 which are positioned on opposite end portions of the pin 18 whereby the entire device may be sustained on the neck portion 26 of a bottle 28. In other words, by passing the arcuate spring 22 over the neck of the bottle, the resiliency of the spring will draw the pin 18 against the side of the neck and thus sustain the same in position, while the base member 12 may be swung upwardly and downwardly on the pin 18, that is from a horizontal position as shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein the base member 12 extends across the mouth 30 of the bottle, to a substantially vertical position as shown in Figure 3, where- 'ice in the base member 12 leaves the mouth of the bottle exposed.

The base member 12 is provided with a circular opening 32, the edges of which afford a seat for a spherical, gravity responsive closure element or ball 34, the latter being movably disposed within a dome-shaped housing 36 which is mounted on the base member 12 by means of a plurality of detents 38, 40. The detents 38, 40 may be struck upwardly from the base member 12 and, if desired, the detents 38 may be located at the edges of the opening 32, as shown in Figure 4.

When liquid is to be poured out of the bottle 28, the base member 12 is swung upwardly as shown in Figure 3, it being understood that the element 34 is larger in diameter than the opening 32 so that it does not fall out of the housing 36. However, when the base member 12 is swung downwardly on the mouth 30 of the bottle, the element 34, responding to gravity, projects downwardly through the opening 32 and seats itself in the mouth of the bottle, thereby providing an effective closure therefor.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A bottle closure comprising a plate-like base member having an opening, means carried by said member for pivotally mounting the same on an associated bottle for movement between bottle neck covering and uncovering positions, a housing provided on said member above said opening, and a gravity responsive closure element movably positioned within said housing and projectable through said opening to engage and close the mouth of a bottle.

2. A bottle closure comprising a plate-like base member having an opening, means carried by said member for pivotally mounting the same on an associated bottle for movement between bottle neck covering and uncovering positions, a housing provided on said member above said opening, and a gravity responsive closure element movably positioned within said housing and projectable through said opening to engage and close the mouth of a bottle, said means including an elastic element connected at opposite ends thereof to said base member and defining a bottle neck receiving loop.

3. A bottle closure comprising a plate-like base member having an opening, means carried by said member for pivotally mounting the same on an associated bottle for movement between bottle neck covering and uncovering positions, a housing provided on said member above said opening, and a gravity responsive closure element movably positioned within said housing and projectable through said opening to engage and close the mouth of a bottle, said means comprising a pair of downturned flanges provided at opposite side edges of said base member, a transverse pin extending through said flanges, and an elastic element having its opposite ends connected to said pin adjacent respective flanges such that an intermediate portion of said pin will engage a point on the extension of a bottle neck with the elastic element diametrically engaged thereagainst.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing is imperforate and said closure element is of spherical configuration.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kutscher Nov. 4, 1879 Mitchell Dec. 25, 1888 5 Packer Aug. 19, 1902 Leach Apr. 30, 1907 Walden Dec. 18, 1917 Wolfermann Dec. 16, 1919 Even'sen Jan; 3, 1939 Frank Apr. 29, 1947 Mallick Mar. 29, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Sept. 25, 1905 

